A day without books is like……Just kidding, I have no idea.

The TBR Triple Dog Dare Comes to Its Final Close…So How Did You Do?

Except for some reading I did for school, mostly YA stuff, I stuck to the challenge reading only books on my TBR shelves or the hold queue at my local library.

I did do some shopping, and a few books arrived in the mail, they have all been waiting for this day and will continue to wait a few more days while I finish City on Fire.

I’m down in Los Angeles at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference for the weekend, so I’m checking out the area books shops where I’m finding all sorts of intriguing title to fill those open slots. In the end, I except I’ll have a longer TBR list than I did December 31, even after I cull the shelves when I get back home. Skylight Books, where the above picture was taken, is a wonderful, wonderful shop. All sorts of books I never even knew I had to read. Tomorrow I’m off to The Last Bookstore which I’m told has an entire floor of dollar books upstairs. I’ve brought a lot of dollars with me, too.

And I haven’t even begun to explore the books for sale at the conference.

March was my best month so far with 9 books read, making my grand total for the dare 18. Not as good as I would have liked, but I seem to have my reading mojo back and I hope I can keep it up. I’m planning to significantly reduce my TBR pile this year, but who knows? This was fun and I’m sorry you are not planning to do it next year. Thanks for this year anyway.

Made it through intact! The last two days were the hardest. I had just finished a book that had been on my TBR for years, and I soooooooo wanted to dive into some new items. But I cracked open a Virginia Woolf bio that’s also been languishing unread for years and started that, knowing it will be a “pick it up on the weekend and read another chapter” book for quite a while. I made it through, and today I can reward myself with a new book! Have fun at AWP–I went last year when it was in Minneapolis, and it was huge fun.

Your dare inspired me, and I managed to read four books off the dreaded TBR pile, and I can proudly brag that I didn’t buy any new books; well – except for one, which was a R5-00 bargain of all time, whilst I was in another province, on a Family Visit. There’s a marvellous charity book shop in the area, which I only visit once or twice a year, so I think I’m excused on this purchase. The Last Bookstore sounds wonderful – enjoy! splurge away – you’ve earned it!

thank u so much for hosting and getting our butts in gear….i read 19 off the pile…best part was finding new authors that have haunted me sitting here….woolfe, sackville-west, lucia berlin and michael cunningham. i’ve wanted to rewatch ‘the hours’ but have thought..well read ‘the hours’ first, then thought well have to read ‘mrs dalloway’ before that. so thank u have now done that trio and it was so enriching to read/see these in order and discover both authors. have a most fabulous time at buck book section….like u couldn’t hey 🙂 rock it…quinn

Thank you for hosting. Despite starting the year with a reading slump, I managed to read 11 of my own books and 8 from the library. I did break down and bought 1 book, but that’s it so far this year. Not too bad overall…

I did pretty well, especially considering my previous failure. I surprised myself by not buying any new books in March. Of course, my library list and bookmarked short story list are pretty long, but it’s been a good baby step. Thank you for hosting, James!

Technically, I stayed within the rules, reading only TBR books with exceptions for previous library holds and Tournament of Books competitors. But unlike in past years, I got so wrapped up in the TOB that I ended up reading all the semi-finalists, leaving hardly any TBR books. Plus I had a bunch of library holds come in at the start of January that I kept renewing. I read 11 books from my TBR pile, but 13 books not on my pile. If I’d stuck to the TBR, I’d have read just about all the TBR books I’ve committed to reading or discarding this year (ie, the books I’ve had for five years).

I’m so glad I joined this challenge. I was completely convinced I couldn’t make it, but I did. 31 books are now off my TBR list! Hoo-ray!! There were times when I was dying to start reading something I had just purchased, but committing myself to the challenge made the difference. Now why doesn’t that work when I want to lose weight? Anyway, thanks for sponsoring this event.

Marvellous idea – please say you’ve had a change of heart and will continue with this selfless venture? it has really held me in check and has been absolutely brilliant. A bit like spring-cleaning with none of the fatigue… anyhow, thanks again for laying down the gauntlet – totally great.

This time was even better than last year. I read a total of 20 books, although I don’t know if I can truly count the three Rex Stout books in January. They are rereads, but I reread them… again and again. The best part was that I did not buy any new books during those three months.

I gave up on the home stretch, as I was planning (the long Easter weekend) – but I still managed to squeeze in a couple more from the TBR stacks. I think this was the easiest Dare for me – I was buying books but able to put them aside for the moment. I don’t think I could go a single month without buying any books, let alone three.

Thank you again for hosting us, and I hope you’re finding lots of good books for your own shelves : )

I read 20 TBR books- and now am anxious to get to all the intriguing library finds! Is this really the last, final Dare? I’ve gotten so used to sticking to my own shelves the first few months of every year. Will miss it…

I basically stuck to it! In January I read one library book I had checked out before the first of the year, and then I read a picture book from the library with my partner in February. In March I read another library book my partner had checked out. And other than that, I read exclusively from my shelves – 12 books total, 4 each month.

Thank you for hosting this Dare! I caved in mid-February, but I managed to get 8 books read off my physical shelves – and even gave away a few that I’d finished. I enjoyed the experience! Have fun buying all those shiny new (to you) books!

I’m considering my dare a smashing success. It’s only March and I’ve already read more off my TBR than I usually do in an entire year. Though, my 2016 pile of acquired books is growing faster than it usually does.

Thank you for hosting, I’m sad I only discovered this in the last year you ran it 😦

I am just glad I stuck to my goal of reading review books received before the 1st of the year. My only exception was a postal book club pick which I had given myself permission to read when taking on the Dare. I would like to have read more (March was a particularly slow reading month), but I’d probably feel that way no matter how many books I read.

I managed to knock 16 titles off my TBR list – not my personal best, but still not shabby. I did that entirely in January and February, as something weird happened in March. For the entire month, I simply could not focus on a single book. It didn’t seem to matter what I chose! All I read was fan fiction, instead. I think I’ve broken the curse though, as April has seen me working through book 3 in A Song of Ice and Fire.